You can find help and support if you are struggling with the rising cost of living.
Support to pay your energy bills
You can find out what support you could get to help pay your energy bills.
Winter Fuel Payment
If you were born before 28 June 1960, you could get the Winter Fuel Payment. This is a payment between £100 to £300 to help towards your energy bills.
If you are eligible, you will receive a letter in October or November and get a payment in November or December.
You can find out more about the Winter Fuel Payment on the GOV UK website.
Warm Home Discount Scheme
You could get the Warm Home Discount if you are:
- on a low income, or
- getting the Guarantee Credit element of Universal Credit.
You do not need to apply. If you are eligible, your energy provider will automatically apply a £150 discount on your bill. This discount will be a one-off.
You can find out more about the Warm Home Discount on the GOV UK website.
Energy advice services
There are lots of services that can provide free advice about energy efficiency and managing your energy bills.
Money Advice Service
The Money Advice Team can offer you help and advice about managing your energy bills.
If you are struggling to put credit on your pre-payment meter, you could get fuel vouchers.
You can phone, email or Visit your local Hub to get advice.
Tel: 029 2087 1071
Email: [email protected]
Citizens Advice Bureau
Citizens Advice Bureau can give you free advice about:
- the cost of living,
- grants and benefits to help pay your energy bill,
- council tax,
- benefits, and
- reading your smart electricity meter.
To get help, you can find your local Citizen's Advice drop-in centre or phone them.
Priority Services Register
The Priority Services Register provides extra help and support to anyone that is classed as vulnerable. They can provide you with priority services if you experience a power cut.
They can also give you free advice about managing bills such as:
- gas,
- electricity, and
- water.
You can find out more about the Priority Services Register.
Warm Wales
Warm Wales works with different services to make sure that homes are warm and safe. They can give you free advice about:
- energy,
- water bills,
- heating,
- registering for the Priority Services Register, and
- safety measures in your home.
You can get advice by completing a referral form , or by phoning them.
Tel: 080 0091 1786
Care and Repair
Care and Repair can offer you free advice about energy efficiency if you are:
over 60, and
privately rent or own your own home.
You can apply for an assessment by phoning or emailing.
Tel: 029 2047 3337
Email:
National Energy Action (NEA)
NEA can give you free advice about:
- energy bills,
- keeping your home warm,
- fuel debt,
- switching energy suppliers, and
- finding help to make your home more energy-efficient.
You can get help by completing a referral form , or by phoning them.
Phone: 080 0304 7159
Welsh Water
If you are struggling to pay your water bills, Welsh Water may be able to help you. Find out how Welsh Water can support you.
Energy Saving Trust
Energy Saving Trust can give you free advice on energy efficiency and how to save money on bills. You can find out more on Energy Saving Trust's website.
Discretionary Assistance Fund (DAF)
You could get a DAF grant to help pay your energy bills if you:
- have lost your job,
- are experiencing financial hardship, or
- have applied for benefits and are waiting for your first payment.
The DAF provides two types of grants:
- Emergency Assistance Payment, and
- Individual Assistance Payment.
You can find out more about the DAF on the GOV Wales website.
Action in Ely and Caerau (ACE)
ACE is a community charity that can give you free advice about:
- managing your energy bills,
- benefits,
- grants for household items, and
- accessing services, like debt advice.
You can find out more on the ACE website, or by phoning them.
Tel: 029 2000 3132
Riverside Advice Cardiff
Riverside Advice can give you free advice about:
- energy efficiency,
- debt,
- benefits, and
- housing.
You can get help by phoning or calling into their office.
Tel: 029 2034 1577
41A Lower Cathedral Road
Riverside
Cardiff
CF11 6LW
Broadband and phone packages
If you are claiming certain benefits, you could get social tariffs.
Find out if the social tariff could help you.
Changes for properties with Radio Teleswitch Meters
Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) is a system that tells older electricity meters when to switch between peak and off-peak rates for electricity tariffs. The RTS system has reached its end of use and the signal will be switched off on 30 June 2025.
If you have an RTS meter, your energy supplier should have contacted you about having it replaced.
If you believe you have an RTS meter, please contact your energy supplier urgently. They will replace the electricity meter with a smart meter before the deadline.
These meters can be difficult to spot, you most likely have an RTS meter if:
- there is no gas supply in your area, including high rise flat blocks and properties in rural areas,
- you have a cheaper tariff at different times of the day. For example, Economy 7, Economy 10 and Total Heat Total Control,
- your property is heated using electricity or storage heaters, or
- your property has a separate switch box next to the meter with an RTS label on it (not all properties will have this).
If you do not replace your RTS meter, you may experience:
- complete loss of heating and hot water,
- the heating or hot water switching on automatically and not turning off, or
- a possible increase in your energy bills if your supplier cannot confirm your energy usage.
You can find out more about replacing your RTS meter on the Ofgem website.
